


Miscellany

by Shabby Abby (KJPearl)



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: 15 Days of FatT 2019, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-12 22:42:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18019841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KJPearl/pseuds/Shabby%20Abby
Summary: 15 Days of FatT fics1. Forget: Fourteen Fifteen2. Boardwalk: Alexa/The Selkie3. Drifting: Hella4. Fashion: Cass/Mako





	1. Day 1: Forget

Fourteen tried to be okay with it, but it hurt them more than they let on. Whenever they died they gained something new; a second chance, new muscles memories, sometimes even a new cover and backstory. But nothing can come from nothing. So for every new thing they gained, something old was lost. The loss of their memories was the price they paid for their lives. And was it really that much to ask in the grand scheme of things? Fourteen couldn’t be sure.

Fourteen knew that they used to be able to answer that question. Why they joined Castlerose and agreed to lose their memories. They could recall sitting in  a cafe with Activation and explaining. They just couldn't remember a single thing they'd said. The details of what had happened were lost to them forever, the blurry outline of a charming brunch. 

Now when people asked, Fourteen simply shrugged and said they had forgotten. As if it meant nothing. As if it didn’t matter at all that the path chosen for their life had been made as if by someone else entirely. Someone Fourteen could no longer remember. 

Still, Fourteen continued on, nonchalantly ignoring the holes in their memories. Until they met Tender Sky. Or perhaps remet her. They couldn't be sure was the problem. The first time Fourteen remembered seeing her, they knew deep down in their gut that she was important. There was something powerful in these newly uncovered feelings and Fourteen wondered briefly if perhaps they has been lovers and Fourteen had forgotten. But Tender didn’t respond with recognition when they first met. Perhaps Fourteen had simply admired her from afar in  past life. Or perhaps she reminded them of someone they had forgotten. Regardless, she was important - somehow - to a past Fourteen. And they’d yet to break any obligations they had, even those forgotten. So Fourteen vowed to stay close to Tender and find out just what made her so special.


	2. Day 2: Boardwalk

Alexa, her name was. The selkie would remember that. The selkie had had a name of her own once, but she had lost it long ago to time and the sea. It turned out that having a name by which no one called you was just a short step from having no name at all. The selkie found she didn’t mind too much. Without her old silk trap and name she could have a second chance. Alexa had called her Beyoncé, and that would do for now. Perhaps in the future she would choose something new, but for a while at least she would try out the name she had been gifted by the woman who had freed her from her curse.

So Beyoncé stayed in Bluff City to work with Alexa. Well, first she left to retrieve her undersea trove where she had hoarded treasures for centuries. She pulled out her nicest clothing and jewelry, telling herself it was for no particular reason but knowing it was to impress Alexa. She pulled out some of her last favourite jewels and gold, things she could exchange for the currency she knew was so valuable on land. Then she returned to the paranormal agency. She knocked at the door then leaned back in the doorway, casual, and waited for Alexa to answer. 

So she was quite surprised when Syd opened the door, looking frazzled.

“Hi!” Syd said it like a question, “You’re here?”

“Yes, I agreed help your team fight paranormal evils in this city.”

“Right, true,” Syd smiled, tired but genuine and pulled open the door, “You should come in.”

“Actually,” Beyonce fiddled with the string of beads she wore around her wrist, “I was wondering where I could find Alexa.”

“Oh. Oh!” Syd smirked slightly, “Alexa, huh? Well, she’s actually on a bit of a vacation now, that last job really took a lot out of her. But she should be back next week.”

“Alright,” Beyoncé smiled, “I can wait a week. I’ve rented a space and I’ll be opening a shop on the boardwalk. If you could let her know when she gets back.”

“I’ll make sure to do that.”

~

The next week passed slowly, days dragging past with Beyoncé eagerly looking up whenever her shop bell rang to alert her of a new customer only to be dissapointed. Until one day Alexa finally walked into her shop.

“Hi,” Alexa fidgeted with something she was holding, “Syd told me you opened a shop.”

“I did,” Beyoncé spread her arms out to gesture to the small space she’d begun to fill and was pleased to notice Alexa’s eyes travel along her body for a moment.

“It’s very nice, here. I’m sure you’ll do great business.”

“Thank you. And of course you should never hesitate to come here for help with a case, or to just visit.”

Alexa blushed, “Actually I wanted to give you something.”

Alexa held out a necklace with an aquamarine charm dangling from it. Aquamarine was a powerful stone, and it could be used in a variety of ways, some more dangerous than others. Beyoncé liked Alexa but she’d been hurt before. She held the charm up to the light then gathered a few ingredients. She quickly mixed them and rubbed them onto the gem. It glowed, safe, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Alexa wasn’t going to hurt her, not like others had before. She smiled joyfully as she slipped the necklace over her head. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” she said carefully, “I’ve just been hurt before.”

“No, you don’t need to apologise, I understand,” Alexa smiled, soft and caring, as if maybe she really did.


	3. Day 3: Drifting

Hella was a sea person, it was built deep into her bones, raised as she was on the Ordenanan coast. She’d learnt to sail as a small child. First for pleasure, then for fishing, and then for warfare. The most important rule of sea travel, as her Ma always reminded her, was to keep control of the boat. By sail or by oar the ship would move and she would have to guide it. So she learnt to row and pull sails and steer. Then she learnt the stars to show her the way. Now, her Ma promised, she would never be lost at sea.

But no one had ever prepared Hella for this. What to do when you don’t have a destination to push towards. What did you do with a boat in an ocean that swept out indefinitely in a place where there was no violence and time meant next to nothing? Of course Hella had worked to build a boat in Aubade, a piece if familiarity and routine in the uncanny world within her sword, but there was nowhere to go. No way to leave. So Hella rowed her boat out to sea and sat there, just drifting on the waves. That night she came home feeling at peace in a way she hadn’t in years. Soon Adelaide started joining her and much as Hella wanted to send her away, a larger part wanted to share this strange peace with the her. So she let Adelaide join her and tease her as they both drifted aimlessly towards the future, whatever it might hold. 


	4. Day 6: Fashion

“But Cass,” Mako whined, throwing himself onto their bed “It’s a party. You need to dress up to keep our cover.”

“What's wrong with this,” Cass held up their formal toga. 

“Aside from the Apokine family crest?” Mako raised a judgemental eyebrow.

“We could cover that up!” 

“It’s still so old-fashioned, you look like my grandpa, if my grandpa were Apostalsisian.”

“It’s not that bad,” Cass scowled.

“It kind of is. I’m not even from Apostalos and I know it’s out of date. Which means for people up to date on fashion it’ll be like double out of fashion. Maybe even triple- no quadruple-”

“Okay! Enough, I get it,” Cass raised their arms in defeat, “So you want me to wear what, a plastic blazer?” 

“No,” Mako laughed, head thrown back and eyes shining with mirth, “Though that would be hilarious, but it’s not really your style. Maybe just a more modern toga. Oh! Or maybe a dress. You could get something really nice and super versatile if you go for holo-cloth. Yeah, I can see it,” he leaned back and shaped his fingers into a box as though framing a photo, “Something full length, navy, definitely with a slit up the side. That should stop you from getting too much of a bump from your thigh holster. Plus you’d look super hot.”

Cass blushed, the scales along their cheekbones turning luminescent, “I’d look hot?”

“Aw, you’re so modest, Cass. You know you have great legs,” Cass wasn’t sure if Mako was joking or being serious. They also weren’t sure which alternative they wanted.

“Are you trying to have me dressed up fancy to keep a low profile or draw attention?” Cass joked, trying to diffuse the tension they suddenly felt.

“Well,” Mako drew out the word, “This mission seems kinda super boring so I’d appreciate a little eye-candy. Just to help get me through the night.”

Mako winked over exaggeratedly, and Cass felt their pulse pick up slightly.

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to be a distraction for you.”

“I’d be more distracted by your bad fashion sense. I’ve had time to adjust to your hotness.”

Cass sighed, “And I suppose you think that’s charming?”

Mako’s face fell briefly, before he schooled it back into its usual optimism, “I  _ am _ extraordinarily charming, everyone says so.”

“Okay,  _ I _ might find you charming, for someone unknowable reason,” Cass tried to pretend their stomach didn’t fill with butterflies when Mako responded to that with a smile that reached his eyes again, “But that’s not everyone.”

“Name one person who doesn't find me charming.”

“Audy.”

“That doesn’t count. They don’t find anyone charming. They're just a spoil-sport,” Mako stuck out his tongue.”

Cass laughed, “Whatever you say, Mako.”

“Anyway, I’m turning up the charm, will you get a new outfit for the party? Pretty please.”

“If you find something nice, and I mean actually nice, no weird plastic or whatever, then I’ll wear it.”

“Yes!” Mako fist-pumped, “Cass, you’re going to be the most fashionable person at the whole party.”


End file.
